Accusing the BJP-led central government of betraying the people's mandate, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said the Narendra Modi government was characterised with violent cuts in social security schemes and murder of democracy.
"Modi got a decisive mandate making huge promises, but his own party is now calling these promises as poll gimmicks. (BJP chief) Amit Shah has described these promises as jumla, which means poll gimmick in English. So, Shah should seriously consider renaming BJP as Bharatiya Jumla Party," he told reporters.
The former union minister was referring to Bharatiya Janata Party chief Shah's recent comment in an interview that the promise of depositing Rs.15 lakh in each Indian's account from the black money that will be brought back was just a political 'jumla' (idiom).
Commenting on the Modi government's one year, Ramesh said repackaging existing schemes, murdering democracy and violent cuts in core sectors were the characteristics of the current regime.
"Modi's first year in office can be described as murder of democracy. He has completely bypassed parliament in the last one year - 53 bills have been passed and only five of them have been referred to a standing committee," he noted.
"He has not called a single all-party meeting, there is a vicious hounding of NGOs, and this government is yet to appoint the central vigilance commissioner or the central information officer," said Ramesh.
"The BJP came to power giving the slogan of maximum governance and minimum government, but in reality it is one-man governance and maximum arrogance. All his ministers and the MPs are non-entities," said Ramesh.
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Alleging that the NDA government has been repackaging the schemes of the erstwhile UPA government and taking credit for them, Ramesh also charged Modi with making U-turns on lot of issues.
"As the Gujarat chief minister, he opposed the GST, the nuclear deal with the US and supported the UPA's land bill. But now, he has made a series of u-turns and is now batting for a land grabbing bill," said Ramesh.
"Another feature of this government is brutal cuts in funds-education, health, sanitation and drinking water, agriculture and women and child welfare, there have been cuts in all core sectors. This is the report card of Modi's one year," he said.
He also took a jibe at Modi's foreign tours.
"In his first year, the prime minister has been an occasional visitor to India. When Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the foreign minister he used to be called Gagan Bihari Vajpayee for his foreign travels. But Modi has become Brahmand Bihari Vajpayee, going round and round the world," added Ramesh.
